FTC SETTLES STUDENT DATA DISPUTE
The Federal Trade Commission settled charges against two companies that sold high-school student data to marketers, even though the firms told consumers they would only share information with colleges and education-related services. National Research Center for College and University Admissions, Lee’s Summit, MO, and American Student List, Mineola, NY, agreed not to share any data already collected with non-education entities, and will truthfully disclose how data is collected, used, and funded.
The Washington, DC-based FTC complaint says NRCCUA and ASL asked high-school teachers and counselors to have students fill out surveys with name, address, gender, grade point average, date of birth, academic and occupational interests, athletic and extracurricular interests, racial and ethnic background, and religious affiliation. Schools and students were told that colleges use the info to contact students who might be interested in a school’s programs.
The New York attorney general continues to pursue a similar case against Student Marketing Group, Lynbrook, NY, which allegedly sold data on 14 million students who filled out research surveys (Sept. 17 XTRA!).
